Cardinals await feel-good Pirates

Russell Martin got a champagne shower after helping the Pirates earn a date with the Cards.

Russell Martin got a champagne shower after helping the Pirates...

ST. LOUIS — The Pittsburgh Pirates are riding high after their first postseason victory in 21 years. They're confident they can beat anybody, anywhere.

A few hours after defeating Cincinnati in the NL wild-card game Tuesday night, the Pirates touched down in St. Louis. They're about to face another familiar foe in an unfamiliar month when they take on the NL Central champion Cardinals in a best-of-5 division series.

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A.J. Burnett, set to start the series opener Thursday, was a part of three New York Yankees teams that made it to October. He said Wednesday there's a sense of euphoria with this experience that was lacking before.

“I guess the main thing is, over in New York, it's expected every year, you know? ... And this one was more of a 'Shock the world, we're going to do it, we made it!'” Burnett said.

The Pirates won the season series 10-9, but the Cardinals, who won the 2011 World Series and fell one win shy of a second straight pennant last year, overtook them for the division lead with a four-game sweep at home in early September.

The Cardinals earned some time off after winning six in a row to end the season. They won their first NL Central crown since 2009 and secured home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs.

Their .330 average with runners in scoring position was the majors' best dating to 1974, when the statistic was first used. So far, they've done fine without injured Allen Craig, who missed almost all of September and isn't expected back from a left mid-foot sprain until at least the NL championship series.

“We played really well most of the year minus a couple of dips here and there that every team has,” said Matt Holliday, who batted .378 over the final month to finish at .300.

Adam Wainwright has to like this matchup, too. St. Louis' ace will pitch the opener and would also be available on full rest for a possible deciding Game 5. He went 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in three starts against Pittsburgh.